Chapter 3 - Trust

Nicholas smiled as Lorraine slowly began to wake up, the archer's grey eyes locked on the red haired beauty. He stroked her back gently with his left hand, waiting for her to fully wake up. He knew that she was seconds away from full consciousness when he felt her long eyelashes flutter against his chest. He had already stilled all of his body except his hand when he first woke up, finding both of Lorraine's hands placed over his heart. It was as if the red-head was taking comfort from physical contact of feeling his heart beating steadily under the palm of his hands. And it was that thought that stopped him from moving his partner's silk soft hands, despite her job, from his chest. And brought back old - but happier - memories from his childhood...

A three year old Nicholas looked on in awe as he watched his mother gently wrap a bandage and splint around the little bird's broken wing.

"Mommy, will the birdie be okay?"

"Yes my Little Hawk, the birdie is going to be okay. He just needs a little bit of help," Edith replied, smiling at her youngest son.

"Okay," the three year old agreed, watching the young Red-shouldered hawk with awe. "Can we keeps him?" he asked, looking up at his mother with puppy dog eyes.

Edith smiled sadly and shook her head. "No my Little Hawk. This hawk has to go back to his mommy," the brown-blonde haired woman explained, chuckling slightly when Nicholas pouted sadly at her. "But he can stay until his wing heals," she appeased, grinning when her baby boy's eyes lit up; he was always finding some poor injured bird and bringing it home for his mother to nurse back to help. And the poor birds often happened to be some of the baby native Iowa hawks such as Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk and the Red-tailed Hawk. It was one of the reasons she called her three year old son her 'Little Hawk'.

"I goes make him a nest to sleep ins," Nicholas exclaimed as he climbed down from his chair, rushing to find some twigs outside to make said nest.

Nicholas grinned as he ran to Barney, who was picking up some kindle to be used in the fire. "Barney! Barney!" he shouted as he came closer to his big brother.

"Yeah Nicholas?" Barney asked, turning to look at his little brother.

"Yous help me finds some twigs for 'de littles birdie?" Nicholas asked as he stopped beside his nine year old brother.

"I will just let me bring these pieces of kindle into Mom, okay?" Barney answered, smiling at the look of delight on his brother's face.

"Yay!" Nicholas exclaimed, taking two, three pieces of kindle to help his brother to bring in wood to the woman who kept the heart of their home beating...

Lorraine stilled quickly as she finally woke up, surprised to find both her hands resting over Nicholas's beating heart. What was equally surprising was the fact that the archer hadn't moved them himself when he woke up.

Gently, Lorraine moved her hands to Nicholas's biceps and raised her head, smiling sleepily when she found her partner gazing at her softly. "Hi," she whispered, smiling at him tenderly.

"Hey," Nicholas replied, returning her smile. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, his hand never ceasing its comforting stroking.

"Mmmm. Definitely," Lorraine whispered, biting her bottom lip unconsciously.

Nicholas growled and used his right hand to tug Lorraine's lip from between her teeth. "Don't bite your lip Nat. And don't pout," he instructed, making his partner gasp before smirking as she realised what both of her actions caused the archer.

"Yes sir," she whispered, grinning as she leaned forward and pressing her lips against Nicholas's gently.

Nicholas smiled against Lorraine's lips, wrapping his arms possessively and protectively around her waist. The archer's actions resulted in the red-head moaning and giving him access to her mouth. As well as allowing her to feel him beginning to harden inside her again, as a result of neither of them removing his member from inside her.

Suddenly, Nicholas broke the kiss, the two panting heavily. "We need a shower. Two hours until our meeting," he whispered as an explanation.

Lorraine could only nod in response, still panting from their kiss. Slowly, Nicholas lifted Lorraine off of his lap, making both of them whine as he slipped out of her.

"Fuck," she whispered as she climbed off of him, watching him out of the corner of her eye to make sure he was okay.

"Ditto," Nicholas agreed, taking her hand in his and leading her to the bathroom. The archer turned on the shower, without dropping Lorraine's hand and pulled her to him once he was satisfied with the heat.

Lorraine wrapped her arms around Nicholas's lower back as the two allowed the hot water to spill over their bodies. She also took comfort from the fact that her lover seemed to be okay with slight contact from her on his chest.

"I want to wash you," Nicholas murmured into Lorraine's hair, smiling at her when she raised her head to look at him.

"Wash me?" she whispered, smirking at him as she saw his eyes light up.

"Yes. Please," he replied with a grin.

"Okay," she grinned, stepping back slightly to allow her partner to begin his request.

"Turn around," he ordered, smiling as the red haired beauty did as she was total, turning and presenting him with her back.

The archer took the shampoo his partner handed him. He deposited a plenty amount of it in his hands before beginning to massage it into the red-head's scalp.

Lorraine moaned as she leaned backwards to allow her partner move his hands in her hair. "You like that?" Nicholas whispered in her ear.

She smiled and hummed in approval. "Yes. You're very good with your hands Baron," she whispered, teasingly using his name.

"Oh, so just one night and it’s Dark again. Thanks Nat. Thank you so much," he retorted sarcastically, although grinning as Lorraine stepped back so she was against him.

"Well, I could use other names... But I'm not in that mood yet," she replied, grinning as Nicholas took the shower head and washed the shampoo from her hair.

"And what mood do you need for nice names?" he whispered, pushing some of her hair aside so he could nibble on her earlobe teasingly.

"I think you know, sir," she replied, biting her lip in pleasure as he played with her earlobe.

"Yeah, you're right. Put your hands against the shower wall," Nicholas ordered while grabbing one of the shower gels. "Now be a good girl and do as you're told."

Lorraine smirked as she did as she was told. "Yes, sir," she whispered, resting her hands flat against the wall.

Slowly, Nicholas squirted some of the gel on his hands before beginning to massage Lorraine's pale back. The archer couldn't help his grin as the added hot water created suds on her back.

The twenty-seven-year-old continued to massage and wash the twenty-one-year-old's body. Slowly, he made his way to her front. Firmly, he massaged her breasts, teasing her nipples to the point where they were rock hard pebbles under his callous covered fingers.

"Oh God... Nicholas," Lorraine moaned, gasping as Nicholas slid one hand down down to her cunt. Then he spread her folds, gliding two fingers over her clit.

"You're so wet... is that all for me Baby?" Nicholas whispered as he slid two fingers into her cunt, sliding them against her G-spot.

"Yes. Yours. All yours," she moaned, gasping her pleasure as Nicholas moved his fingers inside her.

"Should I let you come like this?" he whispered in her ear, slowly crooking his fingers against Lorraine's sweet spot.

"Please... Nicholas," Lorraine begged, clenching her hands against the wall of the shower as he thrusted his fingers deeper inside her cunt.

"That's it Baby. Tell me how you want it," Nicholas encouraged, pushing his palm firmly against her clit as he moved his fingers.

"Let me come... please... Nicholas," she begged, tossing her head back against his shoulder. "Nicholas."

"Come for me Nat... Squeeze and cover my fingers as you come Baby," Nicholas ordered seductively into his lover's ear, nibbling on her earlobe teasingly.

"Nicholas!" she screamed as she came hard, Nicholas's words only adding to her orgasm. The red-head's walls squeezed his fingers hard as she covered his hand with her juices. She collapsed backwards against her lover, panting heavily as she came down from her high.

Nicholas smiled softly as he continued to move his fingers inside Lorraine, gently bringing her down from her orgasm. He gently pressed his lips to the back of her head before slowly pulling his fingers out, smirking when she whined at the loss.

"You like that Baby?" Nicholas asked as he sucked his fingers clean, groaning his approval.

"Yes," she breathed as she turned her head to lock eyes with him. "Promise me you won't call me 'Baby' at work," she requested, watching him carefully. "The Black Widow is only a mask I wear... behind closed doors, I'm your Nat... I don't want to compromise our partnership," she added as an explanation, making Nicholas visibly relax.

"You're stuck with me Nat... Nothing will compromise our partnership... we just have another reason to come back home safe," Nicholas whispered before pecking her lips gently. "You agree?"

Lorraine smiled against his lips and nodded. "Yes," she whispered as she deepened the kiss. "Want you," she whispered, bringing one hand up, careful not to touch Nicholas on his chest or shoulders.

The archer grinned before suddenly turning his spy so her back was against the wall. He easily controlled their hungry kiss, placing his hands possessively on her ass. Then he lifted her up and help her to wrap her legs around his waist, pressing his erection firmly against her cunt.

"You. Belong. To. Me," he growled before sliding inside her, making the two gasp in pleasure as he filled her.

"Yes. Yours," Lorraine moaned, placing her hands in her lover's hair. She gasped as he slowly pulled out of her before slamming back inside her, making her cry out in pleasure as he begun a quick but steady rhythm.

Nicholas claimed Lorraine's lips hungrily as he drove his cock deeper inside her cunt. The red-head moaned her approval, tightening her fingers around the short strands of his hair. With each thrust, he hit all the right spots inside her. Within minutes they were both seeing stars.

"Want. You. To. Come. For. Me," he muttered into her mouth, bringing one hand to her hair, burying it in the long red locks.

Lorraine responded by screaming his name out in pleasure in his mouth as she came around her lover's cock. Her pulsing cunt around his rock hard cock, pulled Nicholas over the edge. He shouted her name into her mouth as he spilled inside her.

The two kissed softly under the spray of the shower, holding each other as they traded loving kisses while coming down from the highs.

Gently, Nicholas pulled out of Lorraine while they were still kissing, making her whine at his actions. "That okay?" he whispered as he slowly pulled away.

"Yes," Lorraine whispered, smiling at him shyly, biting her bottom lip.

"Don't bite your lip," Nicholas whispered as he tugged her lip free.

"Yes sir," she whispered before stepping up on her toes and gently kissing her lover.

"Come on. Let's get something to eat before we go to base," he stated, turning off the shower before getting out. He took out two towels for Lorraine before grabbing one for himself. After wrapping his towel around his waist, Nicholas held her larger one for her to step into.

Lorraine smiled as she allowed Nicholas to dry her body, watching her partner take care of her. Then a thought struck her.

"You know I trust you, right?" she asked, making Nicholas pause I surprise at her question.

"Yes. Now. Until yesterday, I thought you didn't trust me fully. But now I know otherwise," he replied, taking the smaller towel and using it to dry her hair.

Lorraine took Nicholas's face in her hands, making him look her in the eye. "I've trusted you since you rejected my advances at the hotel in Moscow, Nicholas," she confessed.

Nicholas's jaw dropped slightly at her confession. "You've trusted me since then..." he whispered, placing his hands on her hips protectively.

Lorraine nodded, smiling at the look of pride and happiness on her partner's face. "Yes. You showed that you considered me a person not an object for your pleasure. And I knew I could trust you."

Nicholas smiled and pressed his lips to hers lovingly. "And I trust you Nat."

The two kissed softly with Lorraine wrapping her arms around Nicholas's neck while the archer wrapped his around his spy's waist.

"We need food," Lorraine mumbled against Nicholas's lips, the red-head unable to stop the smile on her face.

"Mmmm... you can cook... I've some of your spare clothes from the last time you stayed over," Nicholas replied, too busy in their kiss to do anything else.

"Okay," she whispered, letting herself get lost in their kiss...

Nicholas smiled as he watched Lorraine cook them some pancakes while wearing one of his T-shirts. They were both content in the otherwise silence, the archer watching his lover like the hawk he is. Suddenly, the twenty-seven-year-old remembered an old memory from his childhood. And not a good one...

Nicholas grinned as he watched his mother place the pancakes in front of Barney and him. The two brothers thanked their mother before digging into their breakfast.

Edith smiled sadly as she watched her sons eat their breakfast, knowing that this quiet time would soon be broken by her abusive alcoholic husband returning from a night long session.

Suddenly there was a loud banging of the opening and closing of the front door. Edith signalled to her boys to be quiet, which they immediately did so. They both knew why their mother had done so.

"Wench... Get your fucking ass to the bedroom. Now. Your husband's home!" Harold shouted as he entered the kitchen. "You little shits better be outside by the time I get back. D'ya here?" he slurred before grabbing Edith roughly by the arm, ripping her top in his haste. "No you bitch, you're gonna do your wifely duty."

Barney made a move to attack his father but was stopped by his mother's warning glance which meant; don't get yourself attacked and look after your six year old brother. He clenched his hands as he watched his mother get dragged by his father to there bedroom.

And then her screams rang through the house as Barney dragged his little brother out to their treehouse away from the pain they heard...

"Nicholas," Lorraine called, quickly turning off the pan and walking over to her shaking partner. "Nicholas," she called again but again was met with the shaking and a blank stare from the archer.

Slowly, Lorraine walked over and placed one hand on Nicholas's cheek and her other one on his left shoulder. "Nicholas. Relax. You're here, safe. Your dad's dead. He can't hurt you," she tried. She needed to get him back. Now. "It's me. It's Nat."

Not as quickly as she would have liked, Nicholas slowly began to relax. His breathing slowed down back to normal. His heart rate slowed under her hand. His eyes lost the blank stare.

"Nat?" Nicholas whispered, his eyes pleading with her to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

"I'm here Nicholas. I'm here, not going anywhere," Lorraine replied, allowing her partner to pull her into his arms. "I'm here. It's okay. You're safe," she reassured.

Nicholas wrapped his arms around Lorraine's waist while he buried his face in her hair. "Please don't leave me Nat. Please," he whispered into her red locks.

"I'm not going anywhere Nicholas. You're stuck with me," she replied, gently stroking his hair soothingly.

The two stayed like that for a while, just comforting each other. And in Lorraine's case, reassuring her partner that he was not his abusive father and never would be. Suddenly, Nicholas made a suggestion that surprised Lorraine.

"I want you to touch my shoulders blades," he whispered.

"What?" she exclaimed, pulling back slightly to look at her partner. "Nicholas, you hate it when anyone touches your shoulders. Or your chest."

Nicholas looked at her wide eyed. "I know. But I trust you. My Haphephobia can fuck off when it comes to you."

"I don't want to hurt you Nicholas," Lorraine whispered as she rested her hands on his shoulders.

"You won't. I want you to touch me. I'm not ready for you to touch my chest but I need you to touch me."

Lorraine took a deep breath before doing as she was told. She gently placed both hands on Nicholas's shoulder blades, keeping her eyes on his, searching for any sign of hesitation or fear.

Nicholas pulled Lorraine closer, needing to feel her close. The red-head leaned forward and rested her forehead against his, the two sharing the same air.

"I trust you," he whispered, closing his eyes and taking comfort in his lover's touch.

"I trust you too," Lorraine whispered, and damn if that wasn't as power as a confession of love - well, she'd save that thought for later...